Pole-climber



No. 626,542. Patented June 6, I899. D. A. JONES.

PDLE CLIMBER.

(Appfication filed Feb. 15, 1898.)

(No Model.)

TNE uoams PETERS co, Pnomumu, WASHINGTON. n. a

UNrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL A. JONES, OF OS HKOSH, \VISCONSIN.

POLE-CLIMBER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,542, dated June 6,1899. Application filed February 15, 1.898- Serial No- 670,380. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, DANIEL A. JONES, acitizen of the United States,residing at Oshkosh, in the county of Vinnebago and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Pole-Climbers; andIdo declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to pole-climbers designed for use particularlybylinemen in putting up telegraph and telephone wires and makingrepairs; and the objects of my invention are, first, to construct theattachingshank of the climber of cheap material, as malleable iron, andto provide the same with a removable steel gaff or spur, and, second, toso construct the shank and gaff or spur that the gaff or spur can beattached to the shank of the climber without weakening the shank oremploying an auxiliary securing means and which will be very strong andwithout liability of accidentally becoming detached from the shank ofthe climber.

To these ends myinvention consists of the shank of the climber providedwith a laterally-extending socket or with laterally-ere tending lugshaving a wedge-shaped passage formed in it or between them and in soconstructing the gaff or spur that its penetrating end will project fromthe side of the climber and its upper inner face will bear squarelyagainst the side of the shank.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportion of a mans leg with my improved climber strapped to the same.Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the climber. Fig. 3 is avertical sectionthrough the same. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line ofthesocket and spur or gaff. Fig.-

5 is a perspective view of one form of spur or gaff, looking at the backof the same. Fig. 6 is a Vertical section through the socket and aportion of the climber, no securing-screw being employed. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of a modified form of gaff or spur; and Fig. 8 is atransverse section through the climber on the line of the socket, thesocket in this instance being formed by two lugs and the spur or gaffbeing of the construction shown in Fig. 7.

A in the drawings represents the shank of the climber, which consists ofa metal band or strap of approximately L shape, having an upturned lowerend,forming a seat for the foot of the wearer, the vertically-extendingportion of the strap bearing upon the inside of the leg, as shown inFig. 1. A loop or eye a is provided at the upper end of the shank of theclimber and a loop or eye c at the lower end of the same for thereception of securing-straps, by means of which the climber is attachedto the leg of the wearer. On the outer surface of the shank of theclimber, near its lower end, a lugis provided, which extends outside thevertical axis of the shank and is formed with a socket B. This socket istapered or beveled outwardly, as shown in the drawings. In Figs. 2, 3,4, and 6 the socket is inclosed on all sides by a wall I). In Fig. 8 thesocketis shown beveled 0r tapered outwardly and is not iuclosed on itsouter face, the socket being formed by two lugs, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

The essential feature of my invention consists in forming a socket onthe outer face of the shank and securing a gaff or spur C within saidsocket or recess, so that all the weight or strain on the spur will beborne by the shank and will not be thrown upon screws or pins *forsecuring the spur in place or on small projections or pins formed on thespur.

As. clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 6 of the drawings, when the gaff orspur isinserted into the socket from the under side it will be held insuch position without an auxiliary fastening by being jammed or forcedinto place. The greater the pressure which is brought against the pointof the spur the more tightly will the same be forced into the socket byreason of therecess or socket tapering upwardly and forming a wedge. Theupper portion 0 of the gaff or spur C, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, istapered upwardly to fit the socket or re: cess, which is similarlyshaped, and the lower portion of the gaff or spur is tapered outwardlyand downwardly from the shank, as at o. By this construction the'upperportion of the gaff or spur will be held in the recess or socket by awedging action, and the lower portion of the gaff or spur will be heldat a proper distance and angle from the shank. While inv most instancesthis construction would be sufficient to hold the gaff or spur in placeas a precaution against any accidental dislodgment of the same, a screwD may be employed, which passes through the body portion of the shankand extends into the spur,

as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. It is obvious that the screw insteadof passing through the attaching-shank might be passed through the wallof the socket upon the opposite side and extend into the spur. In Fig. 6I have shown the gaff or spur secured in place Without the use of thescrew.

In Figs. 7 and 8 the gaff or spur is shown beveled or tapered outwardly,as at 0- and in this construction it is not necessary to have the socketentirely inclose the spur, as shown in Fig. 2, but to only partiallysurround or grip the same, as shown in Fig. 8, for it would beimpossible for the spur to move laterally. Tapering'the spur outwardlygives a wedge or dovetail shaped formation to the spur in one directionand might be all that is necessary for holding the spur in place withinthe socket; but I prefer to also taper the spur upwardly, as shown inFig. 7, as by this construction it can be more firmly seated in thesocket and will also strengthen the spur at the point where the downwardtaper joins the upward taper, it being thicker at this point by reasonof this construction. The

'gafi or spur also preferably has a slight taper upwardly on its twoside faces, so that it pref erably is tapered upwardly from the centerof its body portion on all sides, by reason of which construction awedging action is secured on all the faces of the upper portion of thegaff or spur within the socket.

It will be obvious from the foregoing de scription that in the event ofthe gaff or spur breaking or becoming dull it can be readily removed anda new one substituted therefor and that by the use of a shankconstructed of a cheap material provided with a removable steel pointthe expense of the device is greatly lessened, and, besides, the shankis not so liable to break as if constructed of steel, it having beenfound in practice that a shank constructed of steel being thrown down ona hard street or pavement on a very cold day is liable to break.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters lug having an upwardly-tapered socket-or recess, whichis entirely outside the vertical axis of the said shank, and a removablegaff or spur having an upward taper, and seated in said recess, thepenetrating end of the gaff 1 extending downwardly and outwardly fromsaid socket, substantially as described.

2. Apole-climbercomprisingin its construction a shank of suitable shapehavingmeans for attaching it to the leg and provided on its outersurface at or near its lower end with 2. lug which is provided with anupwardly and outwardly tapered socket or recess, which is entirelyoutside the vertical axis of said shank, and a removable gaff or spurhaving an upward taper, and seatedin said recess,thepenetrating end ofthe gait extending downwardly and outwardly from said shank,substantially as described.

3. A pole-climber comprising in its construction a shank of suitableshape having means for attaching it to the leg and provided on its outersurface at or near its lower end with a lug which is provided with asocket or recess, which is entirely outside the vertical axis of thesaid shank,a removable gaff or spur seated in said recess, thepenetrating end of the gaff extending downwardly and outwardly from saidshank, and a screw or pin passed laterally into the gaff or spur,substantially as described.

4:. A pole-climber com prisingin its construction a shank of suitableshape having means for attaching it to the leg and provided on its outersurface at or near its lower end with a lug which is provided with asocket or recess tapered upwardly on all sides in the form of a dovetailand a removable gaff or spur, the upper portion of which is taperedupwardly on all sides toform a dovetail by which it is held wedged inthe socket, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL A. JONES.-

Witnesses:

F. J. MCKENNEY, HENRY HENKEL.

